Minnesota’s state investigators withdraw from probe into ICE shooting

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Thursday it has pulled out of what had been a joint probe with the FBI into this week’s ICE-involved shooting, saying it felt it was being cut out of the investigation.

Superintendent Drew Evans said in the hours after Wednesday’s shooting of a 37-year-old woman that the BCA would be part of a joint probe with the FBI. But the federal agency reversed course and said the BCA would no longer get access to scene evidence or investigative interviews.

Without that, Mr. Evans said, his agency can no longer give a fair accounting of what happened.

“The BCA Force Investigations Unit was designed to ensure consistency, accountability and public confidence, none of which can be achieved without full cooperation and jurisdictional clarity,” Mr. Evans said.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem rejected the criticism.

“They have not been cut out. They don’t have any jurisdiction in this investigation,” she said.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he didn’t trust the feds to deliver a “fair outcome” in the investigation.

“People in positions of power have already passed judgment,” he said, citing the words of Ms. Noem, President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, who have defended the ICE officer.

He said he has not reached a conclusion on the justification of the video.

Ms. Noem, for her part, challenged state and local authorities to get involved in policing their own jurisdiction and cooling things down.

“I’d like to know where they’ve been and why they’re not out on the streets,” she said. “They’re allowing this situation to be volatile.”

Mr. Evans’ unit was created in 2020, after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. It was billed as being a way to provide independent oversight of police use of force incidents.

He said in his statement that the decision not to share investigative material was made by the U.S. attorney’s office.

The FBI declined to comment.

The Washington Times has sought comment from the U.S. attorney’s office.